_Direct._ VII. Look to a humbled Christ to humble you. Can you be proud while you believe that your Saviour was clothed with flesh, and lived in meanness, and made himself of no reputation, and was despised, and scorned, and spit upon by sinners, and shamefully used, and nailed as a malefactor to a cross? The very incarnation of Christ is a condescension and humiliation enough to pose both men and angels, transcending all belief but such as God himself produceth by his supernatural testimony and Spirit.[232] And can pride look a crucified Christ in the face, or stand before him? Did God take upon him the form of a servant,[233] and must thou domineer and have the highest place? Had not Christ a place to lay his head on, and must thou needs have thy adorned, well-furnished rooms? Must thou needs brave it out in the most fantastic fashion, instead of thy Saviour's seamless coat? Doth he pray for his murderers, and must thou be revenged for a word or petty wrong? Is he patiently spit upon and buffeted, and art thou ready, through proud impatiency, to spit upon or buffet others? Surely he that "condemned sin in the flesh," condemned no sin more than pride.
_Direct._ VIII. Look to the examples of the most eminent saints, and you will see they were all most eminent in humility. The apostles, before the coming down of the Holy Ghost on them, contended which of them should be the greatest (which Christ permitted that he might most sharply rebuke it, and leave his warning to all his ministers and disciples to the end of the world, that they that would be greatest must be the servants of all, and that they must by conversion become as little children, or never enter into the kingdom of God). But afterward in what humility did these apostles labour, and live, and suffer in the world! Paul "made himself a servant unto all, that he might gain the more, though he was free from all men," 1 Cor. ix. 10. They submitted themselves to all the injuries and affronts of men; to be accounted the plagues and troublers of the world, and as the scorn and offscouring of all things, and a gazing-stock to angels and to men.[234] And are you better than they? If you are, you are more humble, and not more proud.
_Direct._ IX. Look to the holy angels, that condescend to minister for man; and think on the blessed souls with God, how far they are from being proud; and remember, if ever thou come to heaven, how far thou wilt be from pride thyself. Such a sight as Isaiah's would take down pride: Isa. vi. 1-3, "I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he did fly (signifying humility, purity, and obedience). And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts: his glory is the fulness of the whole earth." So Rev. iv. 8, 10, "The elders fall down, and cast their crowns before him that sitteth on the throne." Look up to heaven, and you will abhor your pride.